2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 33

Even the most experienced Orthodox eventually get tired of fasting during Great Lent. As we get closer to Holy Week, something is obvious. I am tired of fasting. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. It just means I’m honest. It also means that sometimes we question even the most beneficial spiritual challenges. Have you ever wondered if God would do what He asks us to do?

After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”  He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.  On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off.  Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.  And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father! “And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”  Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.  When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.  Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”  He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”  And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”  And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Genesis 22.1-18

Saint Paul taught, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son.” (Romans 8.3) Abraham told us this would happen. “God will provide himself the lamb,” but not before He asked Abraham to offer his own son.

That is the inspiration for today. When it comes to our salvation, God never asks us to do anything He is not willing to do Himself. He asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. God did just that. So, when God asks us to fast for Great Lent, then the least we could do is fast. It is what gets me through the end of Great Lent.